The importance of invocation in Islam is of the greatest importance. It constitutes a divine command drawn from His Holy Word, the Quran. Islamic invocation is also learned through the Sunnah of our prophet, salla Allaho alayhi wa salam. The believer, through this noble religious practice, which is the remembrance of Allah in all situations, seeks Paradise and the remission of his sins. He also finds in it many other benefits. So how does one call upon Allah? What are the conditions and the favourable times of an answered invocation in Islam? All this will be discussed in this article.
Definition of invocation in Islam
The word invocation in Arabic comes from the verb da'awa which means : to cry out, to call, to invite, to summon, to hail, to invoke, to bid, to incite, to engage…as well as several other definitions.
The common noun dua (invocation) that derives from it means : call, invitation, incitement, invocation, request, prayer, demand.
By invocation, one must understand the act of calling Allah to our aid on every occasion ; of imploring Allah to help us, assist us, provide for our needs, and above all, forgive us and grant us His Paradise.
How to make an invocation in Islam ?
In a prophetic tradition reported by Ibn Majah, the prophet of Islam and seal of the prophets, peace and salutation be upon him, said : invocation is worship !
In another hadith, we learn that in Islam the dua (invocation) is so important that it is also called the spirit, the marrow, of worship.
It is the way by which the believer connects to his Creator, and implores Him. The relationship that the believer, male or female, maintains with his Lord needs no intermediary. The believer can at any moment raise his hands towards the sky and invoke the All-Knowing, the Great Provider, just as he can invoke Him within himself.
Allah reminds us that the believers are those who call upon Him standing, sitting or lying on their sides.
To make an invocation, there is no particular criterion to respect, for Allah Azza wa Jal said in the Holy Quran :
« And when My servants ask you about Me… then I am indeed near: I respond to the call of the one who invokes Me when he invokes Me ». (Quran 2/186).
The scholars are unanimous in saying that certain conditions are nevertheless helpful to follow in order to increase the chances of seeing one's invocation answered, by the Permission of Allah :
- Choose a time favourable to the answering of the invocation, though the believer may invoke whenever he feels the need
- Raise the joined hands to the sky
- Begin by praising Allah and multiplying the prayers upon the prophet Muhammad
- Be certain of the answer of our Lord at the moment of asking
- Do not ask for something that is forbidden, or evil
- Do not be inattentive but on the contrary join the intention, the sincerity, at the same time as one implores with one's tongue.
- End with praises to Allah
The most meritorious moments that the believer is encouraged to use to connect with his Creator are :
- During the last third of the night
- Early, before the dawn prayer
- At the end of the obligatory prayers
- During the prostrations (sujud)
- In times of rain
- Before the sunset prayer (Maghrib)
- When he wakes up in the middle of the night
- During the blessed month of Ramadan
- Before breaking one's fast
- During Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Destiny)
Just as this saying of the prophet Mohamed, peace and salutation be upon him, testifies :
According to Abu Umamah, in answer to the question « which is the invocation most quickly accepted by God ? », our Beloved, peace and salutation of Allah be upon him and his family, replied : « The one recited in the heart of the night, in the last third of the night, and after the obligatory prayer ».
There are of course other moments favourable to invocation which we will mention below.
Among the duas at the end of prayer there is this one drawn from the book « the Fortress of the Muslim » :
« There is no deity but Allah, Alone, without partner. To Him belongs the dominion, to Him belongs the praise and He is capable of all things. There is no power nor strength except in Allah. There is no deity but Allah and we worship none but Him; grace and generosity are His. To Him go the finest formulas of praise. There is no deity but Allah. We devote to Him an exclusive worship despite the hatred of the disbelievers. »
Morning invocation in Islam, and evening invocation in Islam
The Muslim is invited to multiply invocations from the very beginning of his day. Through his invocations, he seeks from the One who created him protection against all the ills of the Earth and implores Him to grant him His mercy and His Forgiveness.
Among the morning invocations, there are these :
1) The recitation of the Surah of Opening (Al Fatiha)
2) The recitation of verses 1 to 5 of Surah Al Baqara
3) The recitation of the Verse of the Throne (Ayat Al Kursi)
Let us recall that the Messenger of Allah said that « the heart of whoever recites verses 17 and 18 of Surah 30 will not die (will remain awake in the remembrance of Allah) all day long if they are recited in the morning, and all night long, if they are recited in the evening :
Phonetic version :
Fa sobhanallahi hina toumsouna wa hina touçbihouna. Walahol hamdo fi samawati wal ardi wa 'ashiyan wa hina toudh hirouna. Yokhrijoul haya minal mayyiti wa yokhrijoul mayyita minal hayyi wa yohyil arda ba'da mawtiha wa kadhalika tokhrajoun.
English version :
« …so, Glory be to Allah, when you reach the evening and when you find yourselves in the morning. To Him be the Praise in the Heavens and the Earth. And also during the night and when you reach midday. From the dead He brings forth the Living and from the Living He brings forth the dead and thus you will be brought forth (resurrected) ».
Version in the Arabic language :
فَسُبْحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ حِينَ تُمْسُونَ وَحِينَ تُصْبِحُون17َ
18وَلَهُ ٱلْحَمْدُ فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَعَشِيًّۭا وَحِينَ تُظْهِرُونَ
Invocation in Islam : when to say an invocation in Islam ?
- Invocation for a deceased person in Islam
- Invocation of condolences in Islam
- Illness
- Examination
- Children
- Trial
- Ease
- Invocation against sorcery in Islam
- Invocation of marriage congratulations in Islam
- Invocation of birth
- Invocation of rain
- Invocation of healing in Islam
- Invocation of the traveller in Islam
Invocation of sadness
Invocation in the Arabic language :
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي عَبْدُكَ ابْنُ عَبْدِكَ ابْنُ أَمَتِكَ نَاصِيَتِي بِيَدِكَ، مَاضٍ فِيَّ حُكْمُكَ، عَدْلٌ فِيَّ قَضَاؤكَ أَسْأَلُكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ هُوَ لَكَ سَمَّيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ أَوْ أَنْزَلْتَهُ فِي كِتَابِكَ، أَوْ عَلَّمْتَهُ أَحَداً مِنْ خَلْقِكَ أَوِ اسْتَأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الغَيْبِ عِنْدَكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ القُرْآنَ رَبِيعَ قَلْبِي، وَ نُورَ صَدْرِي وَ جَلاَءَ حُزْنِي وَ ذِهَابَ هَمِّي
Invocation in English :
« O my Lord ! I am Your slave, the son of a slave of Yours and the son of a female slave of Yours; yes indeed, my forelock is in Your hand, Your decree upon me is executed and the destiny that You have prescribed for me is truly just. I ask You by every one of Your names that You have given Yourself, that You have revealed in Your Book, or that You have taught to one of Your creatures, or that You have reserved for Yourself in Your secret knowledge, (I ask You) to make the Quran the spring of my heart, the light of my sight, the cause that dispels my sadness and drives away my worries and my sorrows. And there is no power nor strength except through God ».
In phonetics :
Allâhomma innî 'abdoka, wabno 'abdika, wabnou amatika, nâçiyatï biyadika, mâdin fîya hokmoka, 'adlon fiya qadâoka as-aloka bikollis-min Houwa laka, sammai'ta bihi nafsaka, awanzal taho fî kitâbika aw 'allamtaho ahadan min khalqika, awista' tharta bihi fi 'ilmil ghaibi 'indika, an taj'ala al-Qor-âna rabî'a qalbî, wa noûra baçarî, wa Jalâa hoznî, wadhahâba hammî. Lâ hawla walâ qouwata illâ billâh.
Conclusion
The list of invocations that we have cited is not exhaustive. Every moment of life is a beautiful invitation to remember Allah. Through invocations the believer proves to Him his attachment, and his servitude. Indeed, by calling upon Allah with raised hands, the believer acknowledges that he can do nothing without His Help. The merits and benefits of the regular Remembrance of our Creator are therefore numerous : remission of sins, answering of supplications, healing, but above all the promise of Paradise to the one who places Allah at the centre of his life. And what better means of attaining it than invocations ?!...